Zachery Bowlin, a 7th grader from Edgewood Middle School in Ohio, has received a ten-day suspension for liking an Instagram photo of an airsoft gun.

Bowlin liked the photo before bed and was called into the principle’s office the next morning. He was searched for weapons and informed of his suspension.

The school wrote an email to parents informing them that, “Yesterday evening school officials were made aware to an alleged threat of a student bringing a gun to school. We act on any potential threat to student safety swiftly and with the utmost importance. This morning, the alleged threat was addressed and we can assure you that all students at Edgewood Middle School are safe and school will continue as normal. Thank you.”

Apparently liking a picture of a toy gun is equivalent to threatening a school shooting.

Zachery’s father is understandably livid and demanded an answer from the school’s superintendent. The superintendent reiterated the school’s zero-tolerance policy and stood behind the suspension.

The clearly pretentious superintendent wrote, “I assure you that any social media threat will be taken serious, including those who ‘like’ the post when it potentially endangers the health and safety of students or adversely affects the educational process.”

The suspension was eventually dropped after public outcry, but the stigma will follow young Zachery around for the rest of his life. Zachery has been branded as a potential school shooter on his transcripts, which could prevent him from attending college.

The suspension is evidence of part of a growing trend where boys are prevented from being boys. Playing cops and robbers is now a suspend-able offense in zero-tolerance schools that ensuring our young boys grow up to be strong women.

By enforcing the zero-tolerance policy off of school grounds, we ensure that young students cannot exercise their First Amendment rights.

We also ensure that they do not know the difference between responsible gun-ownership and respect for the power of these incredible tools, and threatening or unsafe behavior. There is a difference. And, because no one in the school seems to know that, the children won’t either.

What would you do if you were the parent of this boy? Please share the story on Facebook and Twitter and let us know your thoughts.